Maseru/Antananarivo/Pretoria, Apr. 4, (dpa/GNA) – African countries expressed concern and outrage on Friday following the introduction of US tariffs of as much as 50%.

The Minister of Trade in Lesotho, which has been hit with the highest tariff rate of 50%, warned of serious consequences facing his country of 2.3 million people.

“We are facing a serious bloodbath of jobs,” warned Trade Minister Mokhethi Shelile.

The economy of the small landlocked state in southern Africa is heavily dependent on the export of textiles and diamonds to the United States.

“We are faced with a difficult situation,” Shelile said, adding that he hoped Lesotho would be able to renegotiate with the administration of US President Donald Trump as soon as possible.

Like Lesotho, the punitive tariffs threaten the textile industries of the south-eastern African island nations of Mauritius and Madagascar, whose tariffs have been raised to 40% and 47%, respectively.

Representatives of both governments initially adopted a pragmatic stance, stating that they were working towards bilateral renegotiations.

South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, is also significantly affected, with its government expressing indignation over the new tariff rate of 30%.

“Unilaterally imposed and punitive tariffs are a concern and serve as a barrier to trade and shared prosperity,” the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement.

South Africa exports large quantities of platinum, gold, iron, vehicles and citrus fruits to the US.

Other African countries particularly affected by the new tariff regulations include Botswana with 37%, Angola with 32%, Libya with 31%, Algeria with 30%, Tunisia with 28% and the Ivory Coast with 21%.

Economic experts believe the new tariffs will render the AGOA trade agreement ineffective. The agreement currently grants many African states duty-free access to the US market but is set to expire in September.

GNA

PDC